"W-What…?"
Koby stared blankly at the sudden appearance of the young man.
His mind was a whirlwind of confusion. He hadn't registered what Luffy had just said at all, his brain had gone completely blank. He glanced between Luffy and Nami, stunned and unsure of what to do.
Meanwhile, within the tornado, the unfortunate pirates were still being flung around helplessly by the violent winds.
Their screams echoed one after another through the sky.
These East Blue pirates, who were only marginally stronger than the average person, were completely overwhelmed by the terrifying force. Their limbs hung limp, their bodies flailing uncontrollably in the storm like lifeless dolls.
Whoosh!
After a while, the screams ceased. It seemed the pirates had all lost consciousness.
Nami immediately withdrew her magic, cutting off the flow of energy to the tornado.
Deprived of its power source, the storm quickly dissipated into a calm breeze, then vanished completely.
Crash, crash, crash!
Pirates began falling from the sky like scattered raindrops.
The lucky ones only broke a few bones.
The unlucky ones landed headfirst, never to feel pain again, leaving this world for good.
─────────🏴☠️─────────
Just as the tornado had first begun to rise…
Watching the chaos unfold before her, Alvida was jolted wide awake. Her fury vanished instantly, replaced by cold sweat streaming down her back.
Her plump body slithered quietly toward the edge of the manor. Using the swirling winds as cover, she carefully slipped away.
So this is the power of a Devil Fruit…?
Terrifying… absolutely terrifying!
Taking advantage of the confusion, Alvida bolted through the manor gates. Her stubby legs kicked into full sprint as she made a beeline for her beloved ship, the Swan.
She didn't even bother picking up her prized weapon, the iron spiked mace she adored. Somewhere along the way, it was simply discarded.
I'm done! I'm out! This isn't the East Blue I know!
In that moment, Alvida had an epiphany.
All she wanted now was to flee this cursed place, find a peaceful little island, marry some honest man, and spend the rest of her life quietly raising a family, far away from the chaos of the pirate world.
But just as she reached her ship, a mocking, drawling voice drifted down from the deck:
"Hey there, Miss Alvida! Where do you think you're going?"
"Who's there?!"
Alvida froze, panic surging through her. The corners of her wrinkled eyes twitched uncontrollably.
She feared someone from the manor had chased her down to finish her off.
But when she saw the group of people dressed in crisp white uniforms, her fear turned into a strange sense of… relief.
For the first time in her life, she felt a genuine sense of awe toward that symbol of peace: the white seagull of the Marine.
"Marines! Arrest me! I'm a wanted criminal, Alvida the Iron Mace!"
If she were caught by the Marine, the worst she'd face was prison.
But if those people in the manor got their hands on her… she was certain she'd be dead before sunset.
"…Uh."
The marine officer, clearly ready to deliver some stern, threatening speech, froze mid-sentence.
Even the armed soldiers behind him, guns at the ready, were stunned into silence.
They'd never encountered a pirate like this before.
And not just any pirate, this was one of the East Blue's infamous pirates.
Was Marine work really this easy now?
Or had rumors of the East Blue prison's new head chef spread a little too far?
Who let the secret slip?
Though confused, the officer still signaled his men forward cautiously. He wasn't about to let his guard down.
But even as they cuffed and shackled Alvida, not a single unexpected incident occurred.
Just like that, while the prisoner beamed with joy and the marines remained completely baffled, one of the East Blue's notorious pirates, Alvida, was peacefully taken into custody.
This was, without a doubt, the easiest arrest these marines had made all year.
Once she was secured and sent off under heavy guard back to the ship, the marine officer pushed down his confusion and turned his attention elsewhere.
He led a fresh unit of marines toward the manor.
─────────🏴☠️─────────
Meanwhile…
"What's your name?"
Luffy asked with a grin, clearly already knowing the answer as he faced the pink-haired boy.
"Aaaahhh!!!"
Koby screamed in fright at Luffy's sudden approach. His body, still slumped on the ground, scooted back a full meter using nothing but his butt.
All around them, pirates lay sprawled across the grass, groaning in pain, if they were even conscious enough to groan.
This was Koby's first time witnessing anything like this.
He felt no joy at the pirates' suffering. In fact, a deep, primal fear gripped him to the core. It gnawed away at his mind like icy water pouring into his skull.
His whole body trembled uncontrollably.
If he could, he'd gladly pass out right now. At least then he wouldn't have to think about what might happen next.
"Ehh~"
Seeing Koby's terrified, cowardly reaction, Luffy gave a helpless smile and glanced at Zoro, who had just walked up behind him.
He was about to say something, but a sudden voice interrupted.
"Well, hello there!"
Step! Step! Step! Step…
Strong, heavy footsteps accompanied the loud, arrogant greeting.
No one really knew why a manor like this existed on such a tiny island, but just like Alvida had once acted with impunity in the East Blue, this marine officer had his own swagger to maintain.
Anyone living in a manor this luxurious had to be rich.
And where there's money… there's opportunity.
Maybe he could squeeze out a little bribe, cut Captain Nezumi in for a share, and smooth the road ahead for his career.
The marines quickly split into two orderly lines, allowing their commanding officer to walk dramatically down the center.
He lived for moments like this, he'd always envied how cool Captain Nezumi looked making grand entrances like this. Now it was his turn.
It felt amazing.
Head held high, nostrils flaring, the officer didn't even bother assessing the situation inside the manor.
With all the smugness he could muster, he boomed in his roughest, most "official" voice:
"I am Captain Ironfist of the 16th East Blue Marine Division!"
"We are here to arrest the remaining members of the Alvida Pirates! All civilians, step aside at once!"
It was a tactic he'd used often, search and seizure under the pretense of justice. Worked every time.
"Marines?!"
Seeing the familiar uniforms, Koby's heart finally settled.
The Alvida Pirates had terrified him. So had Luffy's mysterious strength. Both had left him feeling powerless and afraid.
But this—this was different.
The symbol of the seagull. The ideal of justice. His dream…
This was what truly made him feel safe.
And yet…
Dreams… don't always match reality.
"Long time no see, Ironfist~"
That nickname, Ironfist, belonged to the marine lieutenant leading the charge.
Nami raised her hand casually in greeting.
She knew this guy.
Back when Captain Nezumi was away, he had been the one to process her bounty exchanges.
One of the few marines who knew the truth about her deals with Nezumi.
"Huh?"
Hearing that familiar voice, the lieutenant felt a sudden chill run down his spine.
His bravado vanished in an instant. He turned toward the sound, and saw her waving.
His face changed faster than a flipped coin. Instantly, the stern expression disappeared, replaced by a grin so forced it looked painted on.
Like a loyal dog in front of Captain Nezumi, he put on his most flattering tone and shouted:
"Nami-san! What a surprise!"
"It's been far too long!!!"
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